1946 Map of Sam Knob

About this map

Pisgah National Forest and Nantahala National Forest meet at a high-elevation divide where the Blue Ridge Parkway traces the crest of the Balsam Mountains. This 1946 field examination by the Tennessee Valley Authority highlights a landscape defined by sharp ridges and deep water gaps, including Richland Gap and Beartrail Ridge Gap. Significant peaks like Richland Balsam and Sam Knob tower over the headwaters of the West Fork Pigeon River. The map documents numerous remote landmarks such as Courthouse Falls and Dill Falls, alongside established mountain markers like Charley Bald and Gage Bald. The terrain is characterized by a dense network of prongs and branches, including the Turnpike Cr and Yellow Creek, showing the complex drainage patterns before extensive modern development altered the wilderness character of the Haywood and Transylvania county lines.